Parliament set to vote on Safa and two others for appointment to new Media Commission

The Parliament is set to vote on Monday on Safa Shafeeq, the former president of Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom) and two other candidates for appointment to the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission (MMBC) – a new commission created under a contentious new law that led to the dissolution of BroadCom and Maldives Media Council (MMC).

The seven-member MMBC is composed of three members appointed by the Parliament and four elected by registered medias – two of whom represent broadcasters and two who represent online medias. The legislative assembly is also empowered to appoint the commission’s chairperson.

And all members, including those elected by medias, can be dismissed by the Parliament, in which the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) enjoys a supermajority.

10 candidates were shortlisted for appointment to three seats at the MMBC that will be decided by the Parliament. However, two of the candidates later dropped out, and the Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee had vetted the remaining eight.

Three of the candidates passed the interview on Sunday after scoring above 75 percent points.

Mohamed Farusath has topped the committee evaluation with 90.5 percent points, while Safa placed second with 88.88 percent points, and Aminath Sarahath Izzath, a former member of BroadCom, placed a close third with 87.88 percent points.

The Parliament is set to take a floor vote on the candidates in the afternoon.

The new media law was passed by the Parliament on September 16, and ratified by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on September 18, despite appeals from both local and international organizations urging against enacting the new legislature over its potential implications for press freedom and free speech in the Maldives.

Four candidates who applied to get elected to the commission automatically won their seats on September 7 after one of the only five candidates who applied dropped out of the race.

They are:

• Hussain Sageef, former president of MMC
• Zamath Ahmed Waheed, former member of BroadCom
• Simaha Naseem, a journalist at Vaguthu
• Abdul Azeez Ibrahim

They were formally appointed to the MMBC on October 13.

While journalists continue to protest against the new law as a direct threat to press freedom and a crackdown on dissent, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration touts it as important legislature that protects people from defamation, disinformation and misinformation, and paves the path for accountability in the media field.